Rent Income Officer

East Lothian Council; Haddington; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Haddington seeks a Rent Income Officer to manage council income streams and maximize collection levels. Responsibilities include assisting with rental income collection, negotiating repayments, and preparing court cases if necessary. Candidates must hold relevant qualifications and a current driving license. This role is open to current staff only and offers a flexible working pattern.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a customer-focused environment.
• Ability to work in a caring and empathetic manner with people experiencing financial difficulties.
• Current driving license required to visit tenants.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the charging and collection of rental income.
• Use a preventative approach to stop rent arrears from accruing.
• Prepare cases for court action for serious arrears.
• Contribute to team development and service improvement.

Skills

Customer-focused experience

Negotiation

Empathy

Driving skills

Education

HNC/SVQ Level 3 or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Overview

Vacancy Information

Hourly rate of pay: £17.72 - £19.19

Days and Hours of Work: Monday - Friday. Flexi time is applicable, and starting and finishing times are flexible. To start asap.

An opportunity has arisen for a Rent Income Officer to work within the Council's Revenues Service. This post would normally be based at John Muir House, Haddington. The role is to protect Council income streams and maximise collection levels while balancing the financial pressures faced by households.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the charging and collection of rental income in line with policy and procedures.
• Adopt a preventative approach to stop rent arrears accruing and enable early intervention to prevent escalation of the debt recovery process.
• Work closely with tenants to negotiate repayment of debt and identify opportunities to maximise household income via welfare benefits and grants where eligible.
• For serious arrears cases, prepare cases for court action and, if engagement fails, assist with evictions.
• Contribute to the development of the Rent Income team and service improvement work.
• Demonstrate experience of working in a customer-focused environment, with the ability to work in a caring and empathetic manner with people experiencing financial difficulties.
• Use Microsoft Office applications and other Council IT systems; ability to work remotely in an effective way.
• Travel to visit Council tenants and attend rent surgeries and meetings; a current, full UK driving licence is required.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Relevant Qualifications: HNC/SVQ Level 3 or equivalent level of knowledge and/or relevant working experience.
• Driving Licence: Current driving licence and access to a vehicle. Disability considerations will be accommodated as required.
• Level 1 Disclosure Clearance: This role requires Level 1 Disclosure Clearance to access the Public Sector Network. Police Act Disclosure application will be submitted on behalf of the preferred candidate; the certificate is required prior to commencement.
• Additional Checks: If you have spent more than 3 months working or living outside the UK in the last 5 years, an overseas criminal record check is required.

Additional Information

Internal applicants only: This post is open only to current East Lothian Council employees, including agency/casual/locum staff currently undertaking work for us.

Job Details: Responsible for delivering an effective and efficient income management service to support a high-quality Housing Service for all council tenants. You will be expected to refer to the full range of tasks and duties in the Job Outline/Person Specification and meet every essential criterion to be considered for interview.

The East Lothian Council values and behaviours document (“The East Lothian Way”) will be used in interviews. You may be asked questions based on these behaviours; please refer to the document via the link provided in the job attachments.

Job Requirements

• Note: Please download the Job Outline/Person Specification for full tasks and duties and ensure you meet the essential criteria to be considered for interview.
• Further information and application process details are provided by East Lothian Council on the official site.

Contact and How to Apply

Additional information about vacancies and application support is provided by the council’s employment pages. If you require further information about this vacancy, please contact the council through the standard channels.

Note: We do not accept CVs. All vacancies must be applied for by completing the online application form. If you are unable to complete the online form, you can request a paper application via the provided contact channels.

Additional detail reference: LNKD1_UKTJ